Method of making metallic pads



1936. G. R. SCHMIDT METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC PADS Original Filed Sept. 28, 1954 Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE worrnon OF MAKING METALLIC PADS George B. Schmidt; st. Louis, Mo.

Original application September 28, 1934, Serial No. 745,904. Patent No. 2,021,749, dated November 19, 1935; Dividedand this application July 5, 1935, Serial No..29,-810

3 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in. method of making metallic pads, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafterfully described and claimed.

This applicationis a division of'my co-pending application,- Serial No. 745,904,. filed September 28;.1934- (Patent No. 2,021,749, November-19, 1935) for: Metallic: pads This method applies to that class of. inventions which relate to the treatment of certain materials which was allowed June 10,

to produce a particular result or product. More specifically, itrelates to operations performed by rule which consist entirely of mechanical transactions. but which may be performed by hand as in the present application.

co-pending parent application.

Heretofore, pads-of this class have been made of metallic shavings disposed in a layer andfelted together, havingwire interlaced or sewed through the irregularly disposed fibres of the mass in various directions and intersecting pointsin the mass.

at various Also, a pressing pad has been made of a succession of parallel strands of'metallic wool arranged. lengthwise and held by rows of: lock stitched wire extending transversely.

Such wire fastening means lacks the resilience of themetal shavings of the metallic wool.

My pad is characterized by the elimination. of

such, wire fastenings-to; maintain its form, and

bygreater flexibility, resilience, and uniformity of surface as, will now be described. In the accompanying. drawing in which like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts, Fig. 1 representsa plan view of a metallicwool pad exemplifying my invention;

Fig. 2, a pad of my construction as adapted for use-on the usual'garment pressing buck; and

Fig. 3, a perspective plan view of the course of construction.

my Dad in Metallic wool is manufactured in various sizes of fibres, and of various metals.

That make which isknown to-the trade as ribbon steel WUUI. isimade in grades of flat fibres of increasing sizeswitl', #Z'and #3. Coarser fibres than #3 are known assteel'shavings #1, and upwards. It is #3 ribbon steeli wool which I prefer to use in constructing my presentmetallic pad, but I do not confine myself to the size of fibres nor the metal of which they are composed.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates parallel lengthwise strands of metallic wool interlaced with. similar parallel transverse strands- 2: preferably of. the same material and size, and alternately disposed above and below the lengthwise strands at substantially right anglesuasashowninFig. 1. These strands are-approximately 3" .x 1"in their loosely intermingled fabricated condition as obtainedfrom the manufacturer, andpreferably consist of relatively long ribbon steel fibre elements which are more or less parallel to.the length of the strand, and are intermingledand tangled with each other so that thestrands: arepeasily handled and have considerable tensile strength.

When such strands are interlaced as indicated in. the figures of the drawing, they form a pad which is equally flexible and strong both lengthwise-.and crosswise; which is independent of any other fastening devices than the strands themselves" when inause; and is of uniform cushioning resiliency in every portion. The porosity for the passage of steam as in a pressing-machine, is also uniform in such. apa'd.

Furthermore, the surface of my pad when first assembledpresents a. uniform surface of depressions at the intersections 3, alternating with rounded humps. 4 which change under pressure in use; to a substantially flat uniform surface whiclr affords a'practically uniform cushioning resistanceatevery; point under the usual fabric coveringl on which, is: placed the garment being pressed.

Such cushioning condition is increased by superposing such" a one-layer pad on another so as to alternate the intersections of the strands in one layer with the humps in the adjacent layenas-indicated in Fig. 2. Said disposition of the layersincreases the resistance to any tendencyto: shift one layer on another adjacent layer, and improves. the intermingled contact engagement ofthe adjacent strands under pressure. I

When such a pad of multiple layers is first assembled, the edges of the pad are preferably secured by coarse stitching 5 about one inch from the edges, as indicated. This stitching is of 55 cotton thread which forms only a temporary connection at said edges to facilitate handling in shipping transportation.

The threads are soon scorched and broken when subjected to the heat and steam of a pressing machine which flattens and intimately engages the adjacent surfaces of such layers, and so avoids shifting of the layers with respect to each other, and also any massing or ridges under rolling pressure.

The method of construction of my pad is as follows: The strands of metallic wool are; laid in parallel rows about four to the foot on a table, forming a rectangle of a length and breadth 2 or 3 more than twice the desired size of the pad when finished (Fig. 1). i

A metal bar 6, preferably beveled onone edge, is laid across all the strands near the middle, :to hold them in place and serve as a guide for the first cross strand. Then a set of alternate strands is lifted and laid back over said guide bar, leaving a set of intermediate strands lying on the table. Then a strand of suitable length is laid crosswise of said strands lying on the table, and the strands that were lifted are lowered upon the cross strand and replaced on the table. In the next step, the set of strands: lying under said cross strand is lifted and laid back over said cross strand, and another cross strand is laid on the set now lying on the table and is laid laterally as snugly adjacent the previous cross strand as the present lifted set will allow. The second cross strand is now covered by lowering upon it the last lifted set of lengthwise strands, and another set of intermediate length wise strands is lifted for similarly placing the third cross strand; and so on till the end of the pad is reached. Then the other half-length is interlaced in a similar manner. The cross strands are placed laterally as stated, as it is not practical to draw them into place lengthwise. The interlacing is preferably started on a transverse line at the middle of the lengthwise strands, for convenience in handling the strands, but the interlacing may be otherwise carried out if desired.

While it is preferred to interlace the cross strands with alternate long strands it is evident they may interlace with every third long strand, and vice-versa, without departing from the spirit of my method. As indicated in Fig. 1, such a pad is conveniently made in the form of a rectangle, and then cut to the desired size and tapering shape forming two layers for use in a pressing buck. Oneof these two portions may then be superposed on the other for the double thickness desired. The tapering cut separating the initial pad is on a bias and the opposite edges are parallel with the strands. By placing the bias-edge of onelayer on the straight edge of the other layer as indicated in Fig. 2, the intersections and humps in one layer will not coincide with similar portions of the other layer. 'Such staggered arrangement indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, effects a better frictional contact while the temporary stitching at the edges will maintain the relative adjusted position of the layers for shipping transportation as before described.

Thus the warp and woof strands arranged lengthwise and crosswise as described, are comthe surfaces of the material thus fabricated, present a substantially parallel arrangement of the fibres thereto as indicated in the drawing, and thus present a substantially uniform smooth surface initially of humps and depressions and avoid forming. a'multiplicity of loose ends of fibres which would perforate the cloth covering of the pad on which the garment to be pressed is disposed.

l. The herein described method of making a pad for a pressing buck, consisting in first making a rectangular pad of two series of irregular woolv strands intersecting and interlaced with each other, dividing said pad on a bias lengthwise, trimming the divided portions to the de-' sired size forming two tapering layers as portions of equal size, superposing one layer on the other, and temporarily securing the edges of the layers together.

2. The herein described method of making a steel Wool pad for a pressing buck from loosely intermingled fabricated ribbon steel fibre elements forming strands of metallic wool, consisting in laying a series of strands parallel to each other, lifting a set of alternate strands and placing laterally a similar strand crosswise of a set of intermediate strands, lowering upon the said cross strands the first set, and lifting the intermediate strands for placing another cross strand in succession, dividing said pad on a bias lengthwise, trimming the divided portions to the desired size forming two tapering layers as portions of equal size, superposing one layer upon the other and temporarily securing the edges of the layers together.

3. The herein described method of making a steel wool pad for a pressing buck from strands of loosely intermingled and tangled ribbon steel fibre elements, consisting in laying a series of strands lengthwise parallel to each other, exerting a holding pressure on all the strands on a transverse line intermediate their ends, lifting some of the strands up to the said line of pressure, laying a cross strand laterally on the other strands, and lowering the said lifted strands upon said cross strand to hold it by frictional contact while the other lengthwise strands are lifted for laterally placing another cross strand parallel and adjacent the said first cross strand; and so on successively until one end of the said lengthwise strand is reached; then performing similar plaiting operations from the said first cross strand to the other end of the lengthwise strand, dividing said pad on a bias lengthwise, trimming the divided portions to the desired size forming two tapering layers as portions of equal size, super posing one layer upon the other, and temporarily securing the edges of the layers together.

" GEORGE R. SCHMIDT. 

